Flintshire

Family life changed for many in Flintshire in the 10 years leading up to 2011. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, health and work life.

The population passed 150,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Flintshire increased by 2.6%, from almost 149,000 to 153,000.

The addition of about 3,900 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Flintshire was home to, on average, 2.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Flintshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Flintshire increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This rural area had a lower average age than Amber Valley (one of the most statistically similar areas to Flintshire based on ONS area classifications) (43 years of age) and had a similar age to the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 5,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 5,000.

About 13% of people in Flintshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Denbighshire and Flintshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Welsh language in Flintshire

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Flintshire fell from 14% to 13% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 884 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 4,442.

In Denbighshire (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Flintshire), 25% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 26% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50% to 44%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in work life

The percentage of Flintshire residents that were employed remained close to 56% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.9%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were unemployed, compared with 3.0% in 2001. The percentage of Flintshire residents that were self-employed increased from 6.8% to 7.9%.

The proportion of employed people fell at the third fastest rate of all local authority districts across Wales. As a result, this area had the country's highest proportion of employed people and the lowest proportion of homeowners.

The rate of employment was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More single people in Flintshire

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership increased in Flintshire, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Powys and Monmouthshire.

During this period, Flintshire fell below to become the Wales local authority area with the seventh-lowest percentage of single people.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (30%) people aged 16 and over in Flintshire said they were single, compared with 27% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 55% to 50%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership occurred in Powys (from 25% to 28%) followed by Monmouthshire (from 23% to 26%).

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple increased in Flintshire, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Ceredigion and Newport.

During this period, Flintshire overtook to become the Wales local authority area with the seventh-highest percentage of cohabiting households.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10%) households in Flintshire had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.3% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person remained close to 27%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple occurred in Ceredigion (from 7.9% to 9.1%) followed by Newport (from 7.7% to 9.4%).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

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